Agronomy Journal Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education
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Published online 1 November 1981
Published in Agron J 73:1027-1032 (1981)
© 1981 American Society of Agronomy
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
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Modeling Biomass Production of Sweet Sorghum1

S. F. Shih, G. J. Gascho and G. S. Rahi2

Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a leading contender in biomass production energy systems because of its high biomass yield, high percentage of easily fermentable sugars and combustible organics, tolerance to water stress, and low fertilizer requirements. However, scientific information on growth factors is limited and precludes establishing valid interrelationships for predicting biomass production. With that objective in mind, a field study on sweet sorghum was conducted to investigate the relationships among stalk length, leaf area index, and dry biomass. Cultivar Mer 71-7 was planted using two row configurations of single rows on 71-cm centers and double rows on 142 cm centers on Pahokee muck (Lithic Medisaprist). The spacing between double rows was 30 cm. Leaf area, stalk length, and dry leaf biomass were periodically monitored. Six equations involving leaf area were developed. The first equation estimated leaf area (A) from the length of leaf (L) and the maximum width of leaf (W), i.e., A = 0.741 LW. The second equation estimated leaf area from the length of leaf alone, i.e., A = 0.083 L2. The third equation estimated leaf area per stalk (Y) from stalk length (X), i.e., Y = Exp[X/(2.106 + 0.093X + 0.629X x 10-4X2)]. The fourth equation showed the dry leaf biomass accumulation (DAR) as a function of time (T), i.e., DAR = 0.764 x 10-3T0.481. The fifth equation predicted the leaf dry biomass (LOB) from DAR and leaf area index (LAI), i.e., LDB = DAR x LAI. The sixth equation estimated total dry biomass (TDB) from LDB and ratio of dry leaf biomass to total dry biomass (DBPL), i.e., TDB = LDB/DBPL. The relationships developed appeared to be useful for estimating sweet sorghum biomass. However, further testing is needed to evaluate the effects of diverse growing conditions and varieties and to determine the utility of the method in comparison to determining the mean plant weights and populations.

Key Words: Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench • Leaf dry biomass accumulation • Leaf area index • Stalk length • Stalk population • Biomass prediction • Dry-matter production

1 Contribution from the Florida Agric. Exp. Sth. as Journal Series No. 1646. This study was partially supported by the U.S. Dep. of Energy through a grant from Battelle Columbus Laboratories.

2 Assoc. prof., professor, and research associate, respectively, Univ. of Florida, IFAS, Agric. Research and Educ. Center, Belle Glade, Florida 33430. The second author is now prof, of agronomy, Univ. of Georgia, Georgia Coastal Plain Exp. Stn., Tifton, GA 37193.

Received for publication February 9, 1981.




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Copyright © 1981 by the American Society of Agronomy.